Strangers and Shadows Read Online Free

secret lover hidden.
    “I have heard about such a thing from the Teachers.  Before The End War, men had machines of terrible power—but you must know all of this yourself, Your Highness.  Forgive me, for presuming to—”
    “You don’t have to apologize, I wouldn’t have asked you if I didn’t want to hear what you had to say.”
    “Of course, my Lady.  All that I seem to be able to remember is that men invented a glass globe with a rod standing up from the bottom of it.  And that when an electrical current was run through it, it would cause a tendril of electricity to jump from the rod to wherever it was that a person touched the globe.  Static , I think it was called.  But I don’t remember it being anything more than a child’s toy.  It didn’t seem to serve any real purpose, but then again, there wasn’t any mention of one this big either.”
    Ava was thinking.  She vaguely remembered the same story from her time at the academy, but why would this be here? 
    Something off to the side of her field of vision caught her attention.  She looked to her right and saw the object, reflecting the sphere’s light.  It was shiny, like a mirror.  
    She walked over and picked it up.  It was a little larger than a crab apple and perfectly round.  The ball was metallic, cool, and smooth to the touch.  It fit nicely into the palm of her hand with her fingers wrapped snugly around it.  
    That’s odd , Ava thought, there are no finger prints or smudges where I touch it .  Even the most polished metal could be smudged.  And I would know, Mother used to make me polish the silver every week until I was twelve.  “It builds character , ” she was fond of saying.
    She brought her discovery over and showed it to Asher.  “What do you make of it?” she asked, reaching out and touching the glowing sphere for herself while she let Asher look it over.  The feeling reminded her of the anticipation of a greater energy.  Such as when she made Asher blindfold her and she was tingling with potential energy, waiting and wondering when and where the next touch or kiss would be.  She was still thinking of the energy of the sphere when Asher grabbed the ball from her hand.
    “Here, let me see it.” Asher felt the weight of it in his hands, rolling it around, noting the smoothness of it.  As he held it and marveled at the balance of the thing, the ball began to glow, matching the exact color and brightness of the larger sphere.
    Ava was still transfixed on the feeling of the sphere, her hand still touching the white energy, when Asher grabbed her arm to get her attention.  There was a brief flash of light, and then they disappeared.

A Short Trip
     
    Ava felt Asher grab her wrist and then they were suddenly inside of the sphere.  Apparently, Ava quickly deduced, it was hollow.  
    The only noise was a dim humming, but it seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere all at the same time.  
    The light was even brighter from inside the sphere.  It surrounded them on all sides, eliminating any shadows.  Ava was briefly reminded of what life resembled before this darkness was cast over them.
    In the middle of the sphere there was a free - standing wooden door with a golden handle.  Curious as to what held the it upright, Ava tried the door.  It was locked.  She walked around to the other side, but there was no handle, nothing but smooth wood.  She made it back around to the handle side just in time to see Asher try the door.  “It’s no good, it’s lock—“  She never finished, but her mouth remained open for a good three seconds as she watched Asher open the door and push it inward.  “I just tried that!”  She was frustrated but even more puzzled.  What was going on?  
    She thought about the object that Asher was still holding, and suddenly, she had an idea.  “Give me the ball, and shut the door.”
    Having heard that tone in her voice before, Asher did as she asked immediately.  Sometimes he was